Europe and the Mediterranean Basin are facing an unprecedented drought affecting more than half of the land.
The European Drought Observatory reported on Monday that the drought wave in Europe and the Mediterranean has continued with an unprecedented severity since the beginning of August, impacting 51.3% of the region’s land.
Data from the observatory indicated that such a level has not been recorded since the studies began in 2012, covering the period from August 1 to 10. Since mid-April, nearly half of the region has experienced drought conditions considered more severe than those faced in the summer of 2022.
The data showed that 7.8% of European and Mediterranean lands were under warning status at the beginning of this month, the highest recorded level, while 38.7% of the land was under alert and 4.9% was under observation.
The Caucasus and Northern Balkans were the most affected areas, with Georgia and Armenia experiencing drought in 97% of their territories, while Bulgaria and Kosovo are facing the same phenomenon. Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Hungary, and Montenegro are dealing with over 75% of their land under warning or alert conditions.
Heatwaves swept through the region during July and August 2025, causing several wildfires, particularly in Spain, Portugal, and Italy. The UK and France also saw large areas of land affected by these harsh climatic conditions, at 69.5% and 63% respectively.
The drought index from the Copernicus European Observatory relies on satellite data, taking into account rainfall, soil moisture, and plant conditions, categorizing drought into three levels: observation, warning, and alert.
